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COLLEGE FOOTBA L L 2019 PREVIEW GAMES SEC NAMES TO WATCH TO KNOW

SEPT. 7

LSU AT TEXAS An early season non-conference test for the Tigers against DERRICK BROWN the preseason Top DL | AUBURN 10 Longhorns, which could have A 6-foot-5, 318- postseason pound athletic freak, implications. Brown had 4.5 sacks and 10.5 TFL last year.

SEPT. 21

NOTRE DAME AT GEORGIA The playoff hopes for one team will take a S | LSU hit early after the Tony Walsh | The Red & Black non-conference Alabama looks up at the scoreboard following the Crimson Tide’s SEC Championship Intercepted five clash between Top passes while also 10 foes and national game win against Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in last year. registering five sacks title hopefuls. a year ago as a sophomore. OCT. 12 IT MEANS MORE ALABAMA AT Championship expectations common in SEC TEXAS A&M year removed from playing for the also playing for one national part of the Gator standard. JAKE FROMM championship. Still, it isn’t “It’s about competing for With a full offseason, championship QB | GEORGIA can after toppling two Top 2 opponents in the enough. championships every single “We want to do more at the year.” Fromm has gone lead the Aggies into final three weeks of the regular season, Gus SEC West A ,” Smart But lofty goals and 23-5 as a starter Malzahn was nearly fired last season. and threw for 2,761 contention against said at SEC Media Days. “We expectations can also have its the perennial power understand how close we’ve downside. yards and 30 TDs Crimson Tide? Being on the hot seat was with four schools supplying been to taking the next step. Mississippi State coach last year. nothing new to the seventh- those titles in Alabama (five), And although 24 and 5 the Joe Moorhead learned that a year Auburn coach and not Florida (two) and LSU (two) last two seasons is good, it’s year ago, his first as the head surprising. in addition to Auburn, which not good enough. coach of the Bulldogs. It comes with the territory. won one when Malzahn was “It’s not where we expect Moorhead came in to the NOV. 2 “I’ve got a job that expects an offensive coordinator to be.” conference talking about to win championships, before playing for another in It’s also not where getting sized up for rings. and I expect to win 2013. Tennessee’s , While that talk excited championships,” Malzahn Add in Georgia, which South Carolina’s Will a fan base, it also left a said at the SEC Media played for the title two years Muschamp or Texas A&M’s sour taste following an 8-5 Days in July. “I knew that ago, and Tennessee, which Jimbo Fisher expect their campaign. FLORIDA VS. when I signed up for that. won a national championship programs to be either. All “Nothing that we did short CJ HENDERSON GEORGIA In the years that we win in 1998 and nearly half the three are former Saban of a championship was going CB | FLORIDA The Cocktail Party championships, it’s good. The conference has been at the assistants. All have experience to make people happy,” could be a de facto with obtaining greatness and Moorhead admitted, saying Has picked off six years we don’t, it’s hot seat pinnacle of the sport in recent passes and returned SEC East Division this, hot seat that. memory. winning championships. he probably should have kept championship game So has Florida coach Dan those expectations in house. two for TDs in his “It’s just part of the job But as Malzahn has first two seasons. between the winners description.” learned, those titles just Mullen and LSU coach Ed “I want them to be hungry for of the past four Malzahn is far from alone. breed expectations for more. Orgeron. a championship, and I want division titles. Championship So does coming close, as in Mullen said the high them to be a little bit upset expectations are the norm at Georgia’s case. expectations are something when we don’t get it.” a number of schools across Since has he embraces. That won’t be a problem. the conference. It’s what arrived from the staff at “I don’t know if there’s It comes with the territory. STORIES happens when the conference Alabama, the Bulldogs anybody out there that has & QUERIES has won 10 of the past 16 have won one SEC title and higher expectations … than I Jamie Wachter | CNHI Sports national championships played for another while do,” Mullen said, adding it’s Florida

CAN 1 KENTUCKY DO IT AGAIN? Some record-setting performances aren’t foreseen such as Texas A&M ’s national QB | ALABAMA record average of 51 yards per a year ago. But here are a few school records in the SEC to keep After breaking RECORDS The Heisman an eye on this season (Bentley could also set school marks for attempts, completions and TDs.) through for just their TO FALL Trophy runner-up third 10-win returns after passing season in SOUTH CAROLINA CAREER MISSOURI CAREER ALABAMA CAREER for 3,966 yards and program history, PASSING YARDAGE RECEIVING YARDAGE PASSING 43 touchdowns. what do the : : 2,778 : 77 CURRENT RECORD CURRENT RECORD CURRENT RECORD Cameron Wildcats do for an 9,953 NOTABLES: encore? CURRENT RECORD CURRENT RECORD Dantzler, DB, Miss. CURRENT RECORD HOLDER: Danario Alexander HOLDER: AJ McCarron State; , HOLDER: Todd Ellis (2006-09) (2010-13) WR, Bama; Kellen COACHING (1986-89) Mond, QB, Texas IN PURSUIT: Johnathan IN PURSUIT: Tua 2 STABILITY IN A&M; Albert IN PURSUIT: Jake Johnson Tagovailoa Okwuegbunam, TE, THE CONFERENCE Bentley YARDS NEEDED: 882 TOUCHDOWNS NEEDED: Missouri; Andrew For the first time in YARDS NEEDED: 2,570 23 Thomas, OT, Georgia 13 years, there were no coaching changes this past offseason. So which coaches will go on the hot seat this Jamie Wachter is the editor of the Suwannee Democrat, The Jasper News and Mayo Free Press in North Florida. Wachter previously has year? MAKE worked as a sports editor and sports reporter for publications in Georgia, Mississippi and Missouri and has previously been named the CNHI YOUR PICKS Sports Writer of the Year. He can be followed on Twitter at @jlwachter. HOW GOOD 3 Will the SEC IS ALABAMA champ make and/ ON OFFENSE? EAST Q. DIVISION or win the college The most prolific playoffs? offense in (11-1) (10-2) (10-2) (8-4) (6-6) (5-7) (3-9) With nine national titles the DIVISION conference history past 13 years, including CHAMPS (scoring and total CHAMPION five from Alabama, the offense) returns SEC champion is almost most of its WEST guaranteed a playoff berth. playmakers. DIVISION Another showdown with (12-0) (9-3) (8-4) (7-5) (7-5) (5-7) (6-6) Clemson is also likely.

Photos: Tony Walsh (The Red & Black), South Carolina Athletics Jamie Wachter | CNHI Sports Florida